Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Judge's Corner

Draw?

Short Answers:

-If there is an Engineered Plague out, and you cast a creature that would have 0 toughness in play, then it dies before it can use its ability. It doesn't matter if it has haste, protection from black, can't be targeted, phasing, protection from purple, or any other ability. If its toughness is 0, it is dead.

-If an effect depends on a creature being (or not being) a certain type (or being a creature), it only matters that it is (or is not) that type when the ability resolves. What happens later doesn't matter.

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Q: If I use Compulsion with no cards left in my library can I just discard a card from my hand or do I lose the game for not being able to draw?

A: The latter.

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Q: If I play Gush for its alternate casting cost I can still "fork" it with Mirari for 3 colorless mana? Or would I have to also return 2 more islands?

A: All you would have to pay is the 3 colorless mana. You don't need to pay any costs of the original spell again.

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Q: If I cast Gilded Drake and my opponent Smothers it in response do I still get there creature?

A: Since both creatures aren't around to exchange any more, the exchange is not made. They keep their creature.

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Q: If I "fork" an Accumulated Knowledge with Mirari with no copies in the graveyard yet does the card hit the graveyard before mirari forks it allowing me to draw 3 total cards?

-Chris T.

A: The Mirari copy will resolve first, so you will only draw 2 cards.

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Q: I have a question on how Devastating Dreams and madness will interact. For example, I have 2 Basking Rootwalla in my hand. I play Devastating Dreams. I discard both the Rootwallas. Will the Rootwallas come into play first then the Dreams resolve? Or will the Dreams resolve first, then the Rootwallas?

-Alex Y.

A: The Rootwallas will come into play first, and then the Dreams will resolve. So unless you pump the Rootwallas, they will die.

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Tournament report - FNM - Diamond Bar, CA - 2nd place

Psychatog, a.k.a. The Energizer Bunny

3 Psychatog

4 Smother

3 Innocent Blood

4 Counterspell

4 Circular Logic

4 Force Spike

3 Deep Analysis

2 Concentrate

4 Compulsion

2 Cunning Wish

2 Upheaval

4 Polluted Delta

4 Underground River

4 Swamp

2 Darkwater Catacombs

3 Lonely Sandbar

9 Island

Sideboard:

1 Mana Short

1 Alter Reality

1 Coffin Purge

4 Duress

3 Engineered Plague

1 Haunting Echoes

2 Callous Oppressor

1 Ghastly Demise

1 Hibernation

Round 1 - Jonathan K. - Soldiers

Game 1 - He wins the coin flip, and goes first. He gets a little early pressure, but I keep his board mostly clear. He pecks away at me with a Standing Troops, and I don't block with a Tog I have out, due to his Heavy Ballista. I go down to 5, Heave, and win.

Sideboard: I originally think I don't need to sideboard anything, but since I have to put my Ghastly Demise back in the board for the Wish, I thumb through and notice the Plagues. So, In: 3 Engineered Plague. Out: 2 Cunning Wish, 1 Island.

Game 2 - He goes first again. Plagues on Soldiers, along with Compulsion, keep me out of range. I clear his side of the board, and decide to go in without the Heave. He has 2 Prismatic Strands, I have 2 Counterspells.

Games: 2-0, Matches: 1-0

Round 2 - Daniel J. - "Iron Mike" (R/B/G control)

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 5-1, and goes first. A turn 1 Rootwalla comes in for 12 points of pumped damage quickly, and a Fiery Temper sends me to 3. He tries a couple more Tempers, but I have the counters. I eventually just Heave us into game 2.

Sideboard: Nothing.

Game 2 - That same turn 1 Rootwalla comes in for 7 this time, before I remove it with a Smother. A couple Violent Eruptions put me at 2, but since he tapped down to 1 mana open, and I have a Tog out, I Concentrate and go in for the kill.

Games: 4-0, Matches: 2-0

Round 3 - Marshall F.

Intentional draw.

Games: 4-0, Matches: 2-0-1

Round 4 - Sugrim R. - Land Destruction

These games weren't close, so I won't bother putting down the same thing twice. Game 1, I took mana burn a couple of times, as I had to filter a Swamp through 2 Darkwater Catacombs to get mana for Counterspell. Game 2, he Duresses, and takes Echoes over Upheaval.

Sideboarding: In: haunting Echoes. Out: Cunning Wish. I should have also swapped the Smothers for Duresses.

Games: 6-0, Matches: 3-0-1

Marshall drew again, butting the top 8 as follows:

1. Me

2. James F. (3-1, B/W clerics)

3. Marshall (2-0-2, Beasts)

4. Alex K. (2-0-2, Beasts, splash U)

It was a clean break at 8 points, and there was one player at 7.

Top 4 - Alex K.

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 12-6, and plays. I keep a hand with Swamp, Island, 2 Counterspell, Circular Logic, and one other card (Upheaval maybe ... I don't remember). I draw a Delta, and no more land. Needless to say, I get run over quickly.

Sideboard: In: 2 Callous Oppressor. Out: Deep Analysis, Circular Logic.

Game 2 - I agonize over a hand of Delta, Swamp, and 5 cards, one of which includes an Oppressor. If the Swamp was an Island, I definitely would have kept it. If I wasn't already down a game, I definitely would have kept it. But I cash it in for 6 new cards.

At this point, Alex, even though he claims to have a gassy hand, mulligans also, claiming to want a competitive game.

And I'm sorry Alex, but I have to get on you here. There are two possible scenarios here:

1) (and, I think the more likely scenario, even though he denied it twice) He actually had a bad hand. Why would you need to lie? I don't know, but I don't appreciate it.

2) He actually had a good hand, and was telling the truth. Thanks, Alex, but I don't need your charity. I place well here every week, and this is a competition, with prizes. If the situation were reversed (and it did happen to be the next game), don't expect the same from me. I play to win, and when someone doesn't against me, I'll take full advantage, thank you.

Anyway, on to the game. I get turn 4 Innocent Blood for his Hopper, Smothering it when he tries to remove it from the game. I then drop an Oppressor, and he names beasts. I end up beating him down with the Oppressor for a while, until I choose to pump the Tog at 10.

Game 3 - He again takes a mulligan. He gets 4 Rootwallas for his only creatures, while I play an Oppressor again, and he names Lizard this time. Tog joins the battle, kills the final Walla, and then his 2 brothers come out to play for the win. Alex also didn't have blue mana until late.

Games: 8-1, Matches: 4-0-1

Top 2 - Marshall

Nothing to write here. We split the packs, and he beat me down.

See you Thursday.

Bill Guerin

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DCI Level 2 Judge